This invention relates to shell and tube reheaters and more particularly to such reheaters utilizing superheated steam as the heating medium.
Shell and tube reheaters which are subjected to large cycling temperature changes have experienced a large number of tube failures. The proposed liquid metal fast breeder reactor and other high temperature reactor power plants will increase the potential of cyclic variations in tube temperature as the proposed steam cycles will utilize superheated steam from either the main steam supply or superheated extraction steam as the heating medium in the reheaters. While superheated steam will improve the heat rate, the high temperature steam is expected to sufficiently increase the potential of the tube failure and unscheduled outages.